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PENANG PORT TO INCREASE FREQUENCY OF FERRIES DURING THE CHINESE NEW YEAR PERIOD

28 JANUARY 2014, BY Penang Port

Penang Port Sdn Bhd will increase the number of ferries it operates in conjunction with the upcoming Chinese New year.

For a six day period starting Wednesday 29 January, the port which operates the ferry service plying the 3.2-kilometre route between the island and the mainland will increase the number of ferries in operations from 4 ferries per shift to 5 ferries per shift. The ferries runs on 3 shifts per day and operates on a 24 hour basis.

The increase in number and frequency of ferries being operated will result in an additional 20 trips per day, from the current average of 70 trips per day to 90 trips per day. The move is also expected to reduce the average waiting time to board the ferry from the current 20 minutes to 12 minutes.

Head of Penang Port’s Public Relations Suhailawatie Ramli said that based on previous years’ experience, the port was anticipating an increase in volume for both walk through passengers and cars during the upcoming festive period.

‘During the Chinese New Year festive period last year, the number of walk through passengers and cars using the ferries increased by approximately 36% (from 7,927 to 12,397) and 30% (from 1,915 to 2,753) respectively’ Suhailawatie added.

‘As traffic heading into the island is normally very heavy during the Chinese New Year period, we hope that this little initiative of ours will in some way or another relieve travellers and road users of their traffic woes’ she concluded.